When buying a used car, drivers primarily look at the level of safety, and some already forgotten models boast a much greater reserve of resources than some more recent options.
The expert of Za Rulem, the oldest and most authoritative car publication in Russia, Sergey Zinoviev talked about three cars that, despite their age and mileage, last a very, very long time.
Opel Astra H
This car was produced from 2005 to 2014 and was sold at a very reasonable price. Engines: Ecotec Z16XER 1.6 (115 hp) and Z18XER 1.8 (140 hp). They have a cast iron cylinder block, multi-point injection and variable valve timing at the intake and exhaust. Of the problems, the phase regulators wear out over time and the rings are covered in soot, which is natural for any engine. The thermostat and ignition coil module can also fail. But in the end, the engines serve 250 or more thousand kilometers, and after a shot – the same number.
Seat Leon II
Spanish Leon is cheap on resale, but is the next of kin skoda Octavia and vw Golf. The 1.6 BSE engine proved to be excellent. He has minor problems with the ignition system, cracks appear in the plastic intake manifold, but for 200 thousand you should not expect serious breakdowns.
This engine has an aluminum block, but with cast iron sleeves, distributed injection, 8 valves, a toothed belt drive and hydraulic valve lifters. In repair, the engine is simple and inexpensive – there are a lot of spare parts, and the resource reaches 500 thousand kilometers. And at the same time it works great on gasoline with 92 octane.
Toyota Auris
This hatchback is the brother of the Corolla. It is better not to take a car with CVT or robot, but the combination of a 1.6 engine with mechanics is an excellent choice. The 1ZR-FE 1.6 engine has an aluminum block with cast iron liners, 16 valves, distributed injection, intake and exhaust phase shifters and hydraulic compensators. The timing chain is enough for 150-180 thousand kilometers. After 2009, all teething problems from him were eliminated. This engine will last 350-400 thousand kilometers, but due to the thin-walled cylinder block, revision is unfortunately impossible.
Read about other cheap but reliable cars on the secondary market in Sergei Zinoviev’s original article “5+ Affordable Cars with the Most Resourceful Engines”.
These cars are for sale on the secondary market and are quite cheap.
